DOCUMENT: OSCAR and FELIX: System overview
DATE: 1999 April 1
ISSUED BY: Cataloging Dept. (nvp)
OSCAR is the Ohio State Catalog for Automated Retrieval. It is one of many systems at Ohio academic libraries that, together, form the state-wide system, OhioLINK. OSCAR is a database that provides searching and circulation information to public users for materials held at Ohio State, and an option for users to search the state-wide, or "central" catalog, OhioLINK. In addition to the catalog, OhioLINK provides options for searching other databases.
OSCAR and FELIX
There are two copies of OSCAR. The one referred to as OSCAR is primarily for "search and view" only. The one called FELIX is a staff "working copy." The two databases reside on different computers at the Supercomputer Center on Kinnear Rd.
Most staff activity adding or deleting records, or adding, deleting or changing (updating) fields within records -- is performed in FELIX and these transactions are then copied to OSCAR. Depending on the transaction, some also are copied to the OhioLINK central catalog.
Staff computers have options for logging via Telnet into both OSCAR and FELIX. Resulting menu options differ in OSCAR and in FELIX, and according to the logon used and a staff member's specific authorizations.
There is a web version of OSCAR (a web pac, or Public Access Catalog). A web version of OSCAR for staff, to be called Millennium, is planned for the future. All versions of OSCAR are provided by the system vendor, Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III), sometimes called INNOPAC.
OSCAR RECORD TYPES
The OSCAR and FELIX databases are built of 7 types of records (see diagram):
bibliographic, item, order, check-in, authority, patron, and course reserve.
DOCUMENTATION
Documentation for a variety of cataloging and maintenance functions is available at the Libraries' Cataloging Dept. website at index.html.
Other departments provide documentation for their specific functions.
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